Comprehensive list of Unio delphinus glochidia genes, proteins, and enzymes with references and sources

Freshwater mussels of the order Unionida Gray, 1854, are among the most endangered animal groups and possess a unique parasitic larval stage, the glochidium. While morphological, ecological, and histological aspects of glochidia have been studied, the molecular mechanisms underlying host attachment remain poorly understood. Grasping these mechanisms is essential for the conservation of freshwater mussels. To address this gap, the first transcriptome of <i>Unio delphinus</i> glochidia, generated through Illumina RNA-seq and genome-guided assembly, was analyzed. RNA was extracted, sequenced, quality-trimmed, and aligned to the recently published <i>Unio delphinus </i>Spengler, 1793, genome. Gene expression was quantified and functionally annotated. Genes with expression &gt;1 TPM were subjected to enrichment analysis for Gene Ontology and KEGG categories. In parallel, a literature mining identified known parasitism-related genes across taxa, which were then compared with the transcriptome data. Highly expressed transcripts were related to muscle contraction, stress response, cellular regulation, and enzymatic activity. Candidate parasitism-related proteins in the transcriptome, including phospholipase A2, serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases, von Willebrand factor, metalloproteases, adhesion molecules, and immune modulators, and comparisons with host transcriptomic studies suggested molecular parallels. These findings suggest that <i>Unio delphinus</i> glochidia may employ a coordinated genetic repertoire for host attachment, immune evasion, and physiological modulation. This work provides a molecular baseline for future stage-specific studies and supports conservation strategies, including captive breeding and release programs.